Books, arts and culture

Euro-crisis art

The next big movement?

ART movements often spring from history's bumps in the road. Dadaism was an artistic convulsion against the abominations of the first world war. Social Realism blossomed from the Depression-racked wastelands of 1930s America. The question of whether an episode of collective trauma in the 21st century could spark another body of art is an important one. The ongoing euro crisis is a serious contender. As the public mood has darkened, and governments have cut arts budgets, artists have begun to respond.

One of the first major artworks to flirt with euro-crisis themes, “Entropa” (pictured right), was produced in 2009. It has a suitably ironic back story. The Czech Republic commissioned a native artist, David Cerny, to produce an artwork to mark its presidency of the Council of the European Union. The appointment of Mr Cerny, talented but prone to showmanship, proved fatal. He created a satirical map depicting the incompatibility of EU countries and the region's economic malaise. The sculpture depicts Greece burning and Spain as a deserted building site. Eureaucrats were horrified by Mr Cerny's mutinous accomplishment. The public was delighted.

Other artists are working in the same rebellious spirit. Frank Buckley's “Billion Euro House” (pictured below)—an abandoned building covered in shredded, decommissioned euro notes in Dublin—has been attracting tourists since January. Mr Buckley found himself without a job and struggling to pay his mortgage after the crash in Ireland. Ripping up useless money to build his euro house became therapy. And he claims he wanted to create a shrine to the “bankrupt” single currency.

Art in response to the euro-zone's trials is stylistically diverse but has a common theme. Sabotage of key symbols of Europeanness is popular, as is subverting the map of Europe to emphasise obdurate divides between countries. Images of the euro are commonly reduced to emblems of failure, debt and destruction.

Key euro-zone politicians are also vital muses. Ilse Wielage, a Dutch artist, paints spoof portraits of key figureheads, such as Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Ms Wielage describes her painting of Ms Merkel, depicted as “an abundant bourgeois lady”, as a parody of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres's “Madame Moitessier” (1856). She holds a heavy euro coin to symbolise the region's burdensome currency and Germany's disproportionate power in the euro zone. Her expression is provocatively haughty.

Abstract artists are taking up the euro theme too, but their works are harder to read. These experimentalists seek to capture the complex anthology of feelings evoked by the crisis: uncertainty, fear and the awkwardness of groping towards a solution. Eckhard Besuden, a German artist, belongs to this branch. His works, such as “die Krise” and “Eurorettung” (pictured below), resemble little more than shrill paint splatters on a canvas. But they contain a subtle and layered narrative of Mr Besuden's confused reaction to the euro-zone’s troubles: “I had to paint about the crisis in an abstract and not a concrete way. That's partly because I don't know if the euro “game” is winnable. I'm doubtful. But we Germans have a duty to Europe, I think,” he explains.

There are geographic and linguistic barriers separating euro crisis-inspired artists. They are scattered across Europe and, to a lesser extent, North America and Australia. Creatives are working in other media too, such as literature, theatre and music. It will take some time before they are able to communicate on a sufficient scale to create anything as cohesive and deliberate as an art movement. But members of this loosely connected network are already talking to each other, mostly online. ArtBOX, a creative arts-management organisation, has set up a web platform called “GRenter” for artists to discuss the euro-zone problem and explore art's function as a response. Their ambition is calculated: they want it to become “an accumulator of ideas of significant impact and an accelerator of creative dissemination,” according to Lydia Chatziiakovou, a co-ordinator at ArtBOX.

Artists are also working together. ArtBOX helped a group of Greek artists to showcase their collaborative project called “Rethinking Crisis” at OPEN 15, an international art event in Venice this September. In the same month Tom Nicholson, an Australian artist, and Riccardo Vaglini, an Italian composer, opened a Greece-focused installation combining music and visual art in Melbourne.

The question of whether euro-crisis art is a passing fad is a valid one. With no resolution to the single currency’s problems in sight, however, the region will continue to throw ample raw materials at politically-aware artists for some time. Ms Wielage's view seems to speak for them all: “As long as this crisis is part of our daily lives, I cannot ignore it,” she says. “It will be visible in my work.”

This is a very interesting perspective. There is movement outside the mainstream of art; the masses are stirring as well.

I was in Barcelona a few months ago and was impressed with the art and messages of the graffiti in parts of the city a bit removed from the city center. There was a not-so-subtle attack on the Euro crisis austerity measures.
It was not quite the Marxist/Communist/Trotskyite/Anarchist/Syndicalist propaganda from 1936-1939, but reminiscent of it. Also there were also some hints of pulling Spain out of the Euro group and Catalonia out of Spain.

Unfortunately, I did not take pictures, but Catalonia has been in the forefront of several art movements. The natives are very proud of that. I'll keep watching.

The biggest news event of the New Millenium, 9/11, did NOT result in any artistic movement or themes.
For instance Film in the past decade: there are fewer movies about Militant Islamic Terrorists trying to wreck havoc on the world than there are films featuring talking dogs.
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--In part it is due to the fatwa death threats that Muslim unleash on any sassy, rabble-rousing artists that would challenge Islam, the Koran, Muhummah or Muslims. See the recent You Tube videographer tussle.
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Yes, death threats, black mail and violence can work to shut-up artists, ideas, and the people.
In this world, dogs can talk, but men cannot accuse violent religionists of murder, bombings, and terror.

WHO SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR THE EURO CRISIS? Capitalism, imperialism, greediness, materialism, socialism, superiority complex and hatred towards pauperism. After the demise of Turk Empire, the European Countries have mostly used their technological might in suppressing the voice, human rights and human values of the other nations by either occupying them or making them puppets or slaves. These countries remain in that macho self protecting image for the last 2 centuries accumulating unearned wealth of the other nations using deficit financing,floating their worthless bonds and importing everything from the other countries paying nothing, instead looking to their pocket books and balancing the accounts.

As to the other thing, how can honesty be anything less than kind? You know when you are confused about something, you'd go to someone you trust to tell you the truth, not someone you don't trust. Right? That person is called a friend. And if the truth is something that may make you angry, a friend takes the risk of making you angry. The cruety is on the friend who takes the risk, not you. That is my perspective.

But of course, through the ages, most truth-tellers took the ultimate risk.

Invited the 9/11 calamity? Number of dead? Well let's see here. How many dead in the Iran Iraq war. How many dead already in Syria under the son? How many dead under the father? Black September in Jordan? Was that the Israelis killing the Palestinians in September of 1970????

"If you would like to make a list of what Muslims in general suffered due to the 9/11; you will cry like a baby;..."

Sir, you are the member of the Islam o phobias; who have in fact invited the 9/11 calamity, Bin Laden, Al Qaida and Islamic terrorism from the few mis-guided militants, who selected the path of intolerance, inhumanity and anti-Islamic terror.
If you would like to make a list of what Muslims in general suffered due to the 9/11; you will cry like a baby; only if you have a human heart. More than 2 million innocent Muslims of Iraq, Afghanistan and other Muslim nations have lost their lives by the illegal, illogical and unwanted wars by the American bombs, missiles and you name it. Also, many times more Muslims than non-Muslims have lost their lives by Al-Qaida and their terrorist goons. Also, war on terrorism (Islam) is continuous and becoming more and more wide spread day by day taking Muslim liberty, freedom, civil rights and human rights in the civilized and uncivilized nations.But America and the west has lost trillions of dollars, more than 10,000 precious lives and their human values, self image and humanity.

This is a very interesting perspective. There is movement outside the mainstream of art; the masses are stirring as well.

I was in Barcelona a few months ago and was impressed with the art and messages of the graffiti in parts of the city a bit removed from the city center. There was a not-so-subtle attack on the Euro crisis austerity measures.
It was not quite the Marxist/Communist/Trotskyite/Anarchist/Syndicalist propaganda from 1936-1939, but reminiscent of it. Also there were also some hints of pulling Spain out of the Euro group and Catalonia out of Spain.

Unfortunately, I did not take pictures, but Catalonia has been in the forefront of several art movements. The natives are very proud of that. I'll keep watching.

My apologies for the misnomer. What I meant was that honesty may not always be perceived as kind & generous, especially by the dishonest. But you are absolutely right in surmising that "art is not art if it is not honest."

That's how it should be, but the reality is, unfortunately something else. So often societal mores viz: lop-sided perceptions of politeness, stigma of rudeness &/or fear of offending the other party, prompts the responder to consciously obfuscate or stretch the truth to breaking point.

Diplomacy/politeness & sheer opportunisim, trump honesty increasingly, in this self-absorbed, egotistical & devious world we dwell in. Apparently, honesty is no longer the best policy. It's more a case of 'the truth, the whole truth & nothing but lies.' Sad..

Euro zone crisis and its euro currency has influenced the world market.The bailout package to Greece, Spain,Italy,Ireland has destabilize the euro dollar and the Euro economy has been dwindle considerably. The global economy has plunged into a great financial crisis/recession. Every nations has been experiencing price rise, inflation,and increase in national debt.Lost of trust in Euro will deteriorate further in coming days. Leaders of Euro must take immediate measure and stop more bail out package to weak countries. Ask them to limit their expenditure and emphasis on national savings for the better of tomorrow.

I wonder how much misunderstanding sometimes is generated by different languages spoken on blogs. Although we all presumably speak English, sometimes the vernacular idiosyncratic to each user is not shared. I assume no personal superiority.

Thanks again for clarifiying. And of course, happy to hear you agree with a statement that is quite extreme. :)